Cock Review

In Will Self's Cock, an uninspired and self-contained woman wakes up one morning to learn that she has grown a fully functioning penis. While the character of Carol is apathetic to everything, her personality is still incredibly intriguing. Her marriage to Dan is the consequence of her first orgasm given by three sandpaper thrusts and Dan's descent into alcoholism is the first time Carol practices masturbating. Carol's awareness of her own sexuality and independence initiates the growth of a "frond" above her vagina. The narrative sequence following the first uncomfortable sexual encounter between Carol and Dan to their vacant marriage is fascinating to observe because Self has a facetious approach to describing it. Self's writing style distances himself from the characters emotionally, yet the omnipresent narrator knows more about the thoughts of the character's than they do themselves. Self incorporates a high-level vocabulary with simple sentences, which blurs the line between poetic and casual jargon. Carol's eventual evolvement into manhood is a striking comment on the machismo and ego that arises from testosterone, and the awareness of a woman's capability to completely fend for herself. As Dan becomes more and more feminine once he finishes the masculine habit of getting drunk, Carol quits drinking and gains attitude as well as the desire for dominance. When Carol behaves like a violent pervert, she takes on the role of the exaggerated "manly man", whose worth is measured in sexual prowess.